Jimmy Breslin Quotes

Powerful Jimmy Breslin for Daily Growth

About Jimmy Breslin

Jimmy Breslin (1930-2017), an influential American journalist, was born in New York City on April 8, 1930. Raised in Queens, he dropped out of high school but later earned his GED. Breslin's life and career were heavily influenced by the gritty streets of New York City, particularly its underprivileged neighborhoods, which would become the focus of much of his work. Breslin began his journalism career at the age of 17 as a copyboy for the New York Herald Tribune. Over the years, he worked for various newspapers, including the Daily News and New York Times. However, it was during his tenure at the New York Post that Breslin gained national recognition. Known for his hard-hitting, passionate, and often humorous style, Breslin's work focused on exposing injustices and championing the voices of the marginalized. His groundbreaking series "Heidi Taffet" brought attention to the plight of a woman trapped in an abusive marriage, while his coverage of the 1964 World's Fair Fire and the Fordham University Riot demonstrated his commitment to truth-telling journalism. In 1973, Breslin won the Pulitzer Prize for his columns on the aftermath of the Attica Prison uprising, which highlighted the brutality of law enforcement and the systemic failures within the prison system. Other notable works include "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight" (1970), a novel based on his experiences covering the Mafia, and "I Want to Thank God for Most Everything" (1984), an autobiographical account of his life and career. Throughout his long and illustrious career, Jimmy Breslin was a vocal advocate for the powerless and a tireless champion of justice. His legacy continues to inspire journalists and readers alike with his unwavering commitment to truth and his deep empathy for those often overlooked by society.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Their names are not known and their deeds are forgotten."

This quote by Jimmy Breslin highlights the transient nature of human memory, especially in relation to individuals who have made significant contributions to society but may be overlooked or underappreciated over time. The implication is that despite these people's deeds being important, they eventually fade from public consciousness, leaving their names forgotten and only their legacy to endure. It serves as a reminder of the importance of acknowledging and honoring our heroes in the present while they are still with us, rather than letting their stories fall into obscurity.


"Politics is not about who's right, it's about who stays up late at night."

This quote by Jimmy Breslin suggests that politics is less about objective truth or moral righteousness, and more about persistence, resilience, and the willingness to work tirelessly towards one's goals. The implication is that those who are able to stay up late, push through challenges, and outlast their opponents will ultimately shape the political landscape. This quote emphasizes the importance of dedication and perseverance in politics over ideological purity or correctness.


"New York City is a place to come from if you want to go somewhere else."

This quote by Jimmy Breslin suggests that New York City is not necessarily a destination for those seeking a permanent home, but rather a starting point or stepping stone for individuals aiming to advance in life, pursue dreams, or explore opportunities beyond their immediate surroundings. It implies that the city's energy, diversity, and potential for personal growth inspire people to venture out and achieve greater things elsewhere.


"The press isn't unbiased and objective because the press reflects the biases and the objectives of the people who read newspapers."

This quote by Jimmy Breslin implies that the news media, in essence, mirrors the perspectives and values of their audience. It suggests that because readers have their own biases and objectives, they are more likely to consume news that aligns with these preconceived notions. As a result, media outlets, in an attempt to attract and retain readers, may subtly or overtly reflect those biases in the stories they choose to cover and how they present them, creating a feedback loop where both the audience and the media reinforce each other's viewpoints. In essence, the quote underscores the importance of understanding the relationship between reader bias and news coverage.


"It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man without crying."

Jimmy Breslin's quote suggests that true strength lies not only in controlling one's emotions, such as holding back tears, but also in showing empathy and compassion towards others. The person who can laugh at someone else, acknowledging their vulnerability, without causing them distress, demonstrates a more profound level of maturity and understanding. This quote encourages us to find balance between self-control and emotional sensitivity when dealing with the complexities of human emotion.


I busted out of the place in a hurry and went to a saloon and drank beer and said that for the rest of my life I'd never take a job in a place where you couldn't throw cigarette butts on the floor. I was hooked on this writing for newspapers and magazines.

- Jimmy Breslin

Life, My Life, Hooked, Saloon

Some time ago, I made a basic decision about the way in which I was going to live the little of life available to me The idea was to place myself in the presence of only those people who give off the warm, friendly vibrations which soothe the coating on my nerves. Life never was long enough to provide time for enemies.

- Jimmy Breslin

Some, Idea, Friendly, Soothe

If a man, for private profit, tears at the public news, does so with the impatience of one who thinks he actually owns the news you get, it is against the national interest.

- Jimmy Breslin

Tears, News, Private, Profit

Speaks cheerful English and in the past has written this language with a paintbrush that talks.

- Jimmy Breslin

Past, In The Past, Speaks, Cheerful

Don't try to tell Namath's people on First Avenue about Babe Ruth, because they don't even know the name. In fact, with the young, you can forget all of baseball. The sport is gone. But if you ever have seen Ruth, and then you see Namath, you know there is very little difference.

- Jimmy Breslin

Fact, Very, Ruth, None

Why something in the public interest such as television news can be fought over, like a chain of hamburger stands, eludes me.

- Jimmy Breslin

News, Over, Chain, Public Interest

The trouble with Trump's father was that he was a totally naive man. He had no idea that you could buy the whole news reporting business in New York City with a return phone call.

- Jimmy Breslin

City, Idea, Trump, Reporting

The professional arsonist builds vacant lots for money.

- Jimmy Breslin

Money, Lots, Builds, Vacant

The first funeral for Andrew Goodman was at night and it was a lot of work. To begin with they had to kill him.

- Jimmy Breslin

Work, Funeral, Lot, Andrew

If you gather a lot of stuff, then you write it, write in scenes with dialogue. Somewhere in the middle, rising from all this research like strong metal towers, is your opinions.

- Jimmy Breslin

Strong, Middle, Rising, Towers

The only people I don't answer are bill collectors.

- Jimmy Breslin

Answer, Only, Bill, Collectors

Those of Manhattan are the brokers on Wall Street and they talk of people who went to the same colleges; those from Queens are margin clerks in the back offices and they speak of friends who live in the same neighborhood.

- Jimmy Breslin

Margin, Manhattan, Offices, Neighborhood

Don't call me a journalist; I hate the word. It's pretentious!

- Jimmy Breslin

Me, Call, Journalist, Pretentious

Politicians attend dinners at hotels with contractors. Bankers discuss interest rates at lunch.

- Jimmy Breslin

Lunch, Bankers, Contractors, Discuss

Donald Trump handles these nitwit reporters with a new and most disgraceful form of bribery.

- Jimmy Breslin

New, Most, Donald, None

Politics, where fat, bald, disagreeable men, unable to be candidates themselves, teach a president how to act on a public stage.

- Jimmy Breslin

Politics, Teach, Unable, Bald

You get a little picture that reflects the whole. You can get readers interested in the life of one guy, and he can reflect the whole life around him. And it's a better picture than the politicians give you.

- Jimmy Breslin

Give, Guy, Whole, Reflects

The number one rule of thieves is that nothing is too small to steal.

- Jimmy Breslin

Small, Number, Too, Thieves

The financial people, who lead such dreary lives, believe what they read and see on television.

- Jimmy Breslin

See, Read, Lives, Dreary

When you stop drinking, you have to deal with this marvelous personality that started you drinking in the first place.

- Jimmy Breslin

Deal, Drinking, First Place, Marvelous

Football is a game designed to keep coal miners off the streets.

- Jimmy Breslin

Game, Streets, Keep, Designed

As far as getting publicity whenever he wants it, Trump is the white Al Sharpton.

- Jimmy Breslin

Trump, Getting, Whenever, As Far As

Never use your own money. Steal a good idea and say it's your own. Do anything to get publicity. Remember that everybody can be bought.

- Jimmy Breslin

Everybody, Steal, Use, Publicity

A politician finds anything to do with racial problems far more frightening than a gun.

- Jimmy Breslin

Gun, Far, Finds, Frightening

Rage is the only quality which has kept me, or anybody I have ever studied, writing columns for newspapers.

- Jimmy Breslin

Anybody, Which, Studied, Rage

You can get some work, some jobs that will bore you until you're dead. So you better look for something that's got a little tingle to it.

- Jimmy Breslin

Work, Will, Some, Bore

I don't know any other columnists, and I don't know what they do. I work the single! And nobody does what I do, anyway.

- Jimmy Breslin

Work, Single, Other, Anyway

I'm the best person ever to have a column in this business. There's never been anybody in my league.

- Jimmy Breslin

Business, Been, Anybody, Column

Newspapers are so boring. How can you read a newspaper that starts with a 51-word lead sentence?

- Jimmy Breslin

Newspaper, Boring, Sentence, Newspapers

Trump survives by Corum's Law. This is a famous, well-tested theory and is named after Bill Corum, who once wrote sports for the Hearst papers when they were in New York.

- Jimmy Breslin

New, Trump, Named, Bill

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.